Now forty and fabulous, Strawberry Fest is looking for sponsors, set to run this year from June 20 through June 23 at Kingston Park. Named for the strawberry fields that once drew people out to Swanlunds and Zywiecs, the festival has grown from its start in the early 1980s.
As for specific festival events and details, much still depends on sponsorship, but some details are known.
“It kicks off Thursday at 4 p.m.,” Sheila Nitz said of the June 20 festival start, then running through 10 p.m. Picking back up at 2 p.m. on Friday as to the Marketplace, the festival runs Friday through midnight.
Opening Saturday at 7:15 a.m. with a 5K run, the fun then lasts all day. With festival grounds open once again on Sunday as a way for people to use up their carnival tickets, the coronation of the new Strawberry Fest ambassadors will take place off site on Monday at 6:30 p.m.
No admission is charged to attend the festival, the long running and family friendly event relying instead on sponsorship and volunteers to encourage maximum community participation.
Planned and carried out by an all-volunteer committee, its mission is to bring the community together.
“We don’t charge admission for people to attend Strawberry Fest,” Nitz said.
Also taking place this year is the parade, capped this year at 80 units. Interested parties can find more information by emailing parade@cottagegrovestrawberryfest.com.
With sponsorships this year available in Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Pearl, Opal, Amethyst, and Garnet levels, businesses interested in sponsoring an event can email Sheila Nitz at sponsorship@cottagegrovestrawberryfest.com, by cell at 651- 587- 4188 or landline at 651- 458 - 9495. Sponsors can also choose to do in-kind donations or other support measures, rather than sponsoring a particular event at Strawberry Fest. One thing is certain: Strawberry Fest is here to stay.
“Strawberry Fest has really grown,” Nitz said of the current festival and its beginnings.
